Music critics toss around words like they were part of a somewhat wilted salad. After awhile, the terminology becomes semantical: emo, punk, hardcore, synth-pop, indie-rock, shoegazer, polka. Even the best critics sometimes find themselves short of adjectives.

Describing Denison Marrs we move slightly east of Emo-Town to find Brit-rock influences, guitar-driven rock, lots of crashing cymbals, and . . . um . . . emotive vocals (sans screaming) that consistently perform above par. Melodic sensibilities, off-kilter drum patterns, and juicy bass-lines abound in the midst of guitar noise, and those smidgens of intentional feedback. The eight-minute dreamy epic “Sing With Me” sparkles with Radiohead-y highlights. Among the treasures are “A Consequence Plan” and “Send the Stars, ” which both employ memorable choruses, and allow Eric Collins’ vocals to shine. “Let’s Dance” (no, not a Bowie cover) is poppy, sweet, and really romantic, without shedding the alt-indie-rock skin. There are some unlustrous moments, where whatever they were going for gets lost in the noise. However, these downbeats are few, and the bulk of the album is very strong.

Denison Marrs moves fearlessly forward into hazy modern rock territory, clearing a path and leaving a remarkable wake in the fog behind them.